Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-08-12
THE RESULT.
Comments Of the Texas Newspapers on
the Result Of the Canvas for
Prohibition,
The Significance of the victory and its
Relation to the Democratic Party
Discussed.
NOT A SALOON VICTORY.

Houston Post anti: The Post is not
going to preach sermon this morning
on the "lesson Of the election" There
is nothing particular TO moraliza over,
and the Post has no bricks to fling al any
body. Prohibition is defeated, SIS it de-
served to be, sEd that should end II.
There is, however, one point to which
the Post desires to direct attention, and
upon that point to offer few sugges-
lions. The result of the contest over the
prohibition amendment indicates quite
clearly one thing-that the sentiment
Of Texas i9 against tnst character
of legislation. The r8heimiGg
majority obtained by the antis, despite
the splendid organization OF the opposi-
ton, demonstrates this as q fact beyond
any sort of doubt. There is no argu-
ment or circumstances TO gainssY this.
The Prohibi.ionists started into the fight
with g decided advantage. They had eli
of the opposition to aud prejudice against
the liquor traffic to assist their cause, and
they used this advantage for all it was
worth, even TO the point Of eXaggeration
and uDfairness. The opponents of the
amendment did not defend the whisky
trsflic; they fought the battle on higher
grounds, pitted principle against preiu-
dice, and won decisive victory. And this
brings the Post to the suggestion which
it started out to offer, namely, that this
is not victory OF the saloons. Saloon
men deceive themselves if they think So
1t is the triumph of O great principle OF
government, in the yindiCation Of which
the people were urged by considerations
above, beyond and entirely disconnected
with the saloon interests or the liquor
! traffic Had it have been q question
merely Of the continuance OF the saloons
/ they would have been buried out OF sight
, by more than 100000 majority. But
! that was not the fight-although the pro-
| hibitiOn leaders tried to shape the cam
paign that way-and the sooner the sa-
! loon men recognize the fact the better
! for themselves. Although saved from an
inhalation, in business way, they can
not fail to know thst a great, G tremen-
| dous protest has been fled by more than
100, 900 people of Texas. II will be the
part Of wisdom not to treat this protest
with indifference, because the same fight
might come again, and next time the vic
Try might fall on the other side.
The liquor traffic must be controlled
and regulated, end those engaged
in it must obey the law. Disregard
of law and the properties in the past has
built up the bitter opposition to the
liquor interests; if this disregard be con
tinued it will result, sooner or later, ia
stamping them out. And unless they are
properly conducted; unless they are 81
al times run ia Ga orderly and lawful
manner, and unless they show DISPOSE
ton to respect the rights OF the com
munitY and society generally, the saloons
ought to be closed rp. These sug
gestions are plain and easily I'M
derstood. They may not be needed
out the Post will not grieve ovei
that fact 1t is not its fuaeral, nor is il
proposed to make it such, at this time OIL
in the future. The Post, however, beg:
to suggest one thing in conclusion, which
is this: There were thousands Of men il
Texas who voted against prohibition who
would gladly see every saloon in the state
closed up; these men may, as q derniel
resort against an evil, vote the other way
next time, if the public is 20 be further
provoked by the saloon interests as it has
been provoked in the past.